Crimping tool



Aug. 8, 1967 w. M. HAwKlNs CRIMPING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

h/ M A44/ww Filed NOV. 30, 1964 MS/S TTU/PNEY W. M. HAWKINS CRIMPING TOOL Aug. 8, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1964 INVENTOR ,4x/.M h/K/A/s ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,334,511 l CRIMPING TGOL William M. Hawkins, Scotch Plains, NJ., assignor to The Thomas & llletts Co., Elizabeth, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 414,606 14 Claims. (Cl. 72-455) This invention relates to tools provided with dies for crimping articles such as electrical connectors. Such connectors are used for the completion of circuits and for other electrical work, wherein accuracy and reliability of the crimping procedure are important.

The term crimping tool as used herein includes all crimping devices, whether hand or power operated and whether fixed or portable. To exemplify the invention, the drawings illustrate such tool of the portable type, which maw be actuated manually or by power.

Dies used in crimping devices must be periodically inserted and removed, to adapt the device to various uses and for repair and replacement purposes.

In constructions old in the art, die insertion and removal is an awkward, complex and time consuming procedure. Novel means are provided, in the present invention, for inserting and removing the dies in a relatively easy fashion.

Pursuant to this invention, means are provided for readily and easily inserting and removing dies from time to time in an accurate and thoroughly reliable manner, and securing them in aligned, registered position facing the crimping passageway. At the same time, displacement of the dies may be readily achieved at the will of the operator and without the use of tools or other than a minimal amount of manual pressure.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. l is a partly fragmentary, side elevational view of a crimping tool embodying the invention taken at line 1--1 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

- FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of complementary latching means provided for the latching of the seconds die of a crimping tool of this invention,

FIG. 4 is a partly fragmentary, exploded View of the crimping tool frame and associated dies to further illustrate the ease of insertion and removal of the dies, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the device of this invention comprises a frame 1f) which (FIG. 2) is preferably shaped to define a crimping passageway 7 for relative closing movement (dotted lines) to crimp articles between the dies 12 and 12. The dies are preferably provided with intermeshing or otherwise complementary face portions 26, 27 (FIG. l) for such crimping operationthe invention, as above noted, being especially adapted for use for crimping electrical connectors and wires and terminals.

The frame may be formed of a pair of plates 28, 29 (FIG. l) preferably secured together in spaced relation by the spacers and rivets or other suitable holding means 22. The lower, forward end of the frame 10 (FIG. 5) is preferably shouldered as at 9 to slidably receive the rst die 12, having suitable latching or positioning means such as a stud 18 (FIG. 5) extending into a recess in the lower end of the frame, a pin 16 being axially slidably positioned in the frame and having alternate narrow and wide portions (FIG. 2); a wide portion of the pin normally (responsive to spring or other means 23) interlocks with the stud 18 and thereby holds the same (and the die 12) in position.

To remove the first die 12, the pin 16 need only be pressed until the narrow portion thereof registers with the stud 18, whereupon the die 12 may be readily lifted out of the frame 10. Specific securing means are herein illustrated and described by way of example only and not by way of limitation. The second die 12 is movably secured to the upper end of the frame in line with the passageway 7. To that end, a plate 11 is pivotally connected as at 20 (FIG. 2) to the upper, forward end of the frame 1t)` at a point in line with the die passageway and latch means are provided at a point offset from the pivot point 20, for latching the plate, and thereby the second die 12 in aligned, registered position, with the first die.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the latch means may comprise a plunger or pin 14 slidably movable in the frame 10 or block 13 secured to the frame and normally urged by spring or other means 17 to a position of complementary latching engagement with the plate 11. To enhance registration and alignment of the parts the plate 11 may (FIG. 3) be provided with a recess 15 to be engaged by plunger 14.

From the foregoing and from FIG. 2, it will be apparent that upon thus latching the second die 12 the latter will be accurately aligned with the first die 12, and on the closing of the dies (dotted lines, FIG. 1) the crimping procedure will in no wise tend to displace the parts. The parts are preferably so proportioned that the dies 12, 12 also interfit (dotted lines FIG. 2) with the space between the frame plates or walls 28, 29, for further registration.

Pursuant to this invention, means are provided, whereby the operator may readily and accurately displace the second die 12 from the frame 10 (FIG. 4) when desired to facilitate removing and inserting dies. An extended finger piece 21 is secured to and laterally extends from plate 11 (FIGS. 2 and 4). The end of finger piece 21 is preferably substantially spaced from the pivot point 20; a considerable leverage action is thus achieved on pressing the linger piece 21, so that, when desired, the plate 11 may be readily displaced from the latch 14 and moved to a position at which (FIG. 4) the die .12 will be clear of the frame 10 for ready replacement, repair, inspection or other purposes.

The second die 12 may be provided with any suitable means for securing the same to the plate 11, and thereby to the frame 1017 as, for example, by providing the second die 12 with a stud 18 (FIG. 2) received in a recess in plate 11 and engageable by a pin 16 having alternate wide and narrow portions and operating in a manner as described above in connection with the pin 16 of the first die 12, a description of one therefore sumcing for both.

The frame 10 may have a handle 8 (FIG. 2) which may be of pistol-grip, L, C, or other outline or form to facilitate manipulation. If desired (FIG. 1) the lower end of the frame may have a piston receiving bearing 19 wherein a piston 25 may be reciprocated; said piston may be power actuated, with suitable controls to be actuated by the operator. The dies 12, 12 may be actuated together and apart by plunger 25 or by other means, known in the art. Plunger 25, for example, may move die 12 to its closing (dotted line FIG. 2) position relative to the other die 12.

The plate 11 and means 20, 15 and 14 for so pivotally mounting die 12 in the tool and latching the same in position may likewise be used for the first die 12. Likewise, the position of the dies and their mountings may be reversed, that is, the first die 12 may be mounted in the tool as is the second die, and the second die as is the first; the second die may be unitary with or rigidly or otherwise mounted in the tool or secured thereto by means other than those shown in the drawing: the arrangement shown in the drawings and above described being Iby way of example only. The means 14 for latching the second die in the tool and the means 11, 20, for pivotally mounting the second die in the tool, may be varied, as will become apparent on consideration of the disclosure herein. Such, and other changes, within the scope or purview of the appended claims, shall be deemed to be comprehended within and covered by this application.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a crimping tool of the type in which a first die element is adapted for motion along an axis toward a second die element to crimp a fitting between the die faces of the die elements, the combination comprising:

a die holding frame provided with an elongated die passageway;

a die shifting element for shiftably mounting one of said die elements on said frame so that in a first position the face of the shiftably mounted die element is aligned in said die passageway opposite the face of the other die element without relative rotation of the shiftably mounted die element about said motion axis as said first die element is moved toward said second die element; and in a second position the shiftably mounted die element is moved out of alignment with the other die element to faciliate removal of a tting from between said die elements;

and means for latching said die shifting element in the second position whereby said first and second die elements are retained in a predetermined alignment during the crimping operation, but one of the die elements is adapted to be selectively shifted out of the predetermined alignment for convenient insertion and removal of a fitting to be crimped.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for removably attaching one of the said die elements to said tool comprising:

a stud on said die element adapted to extend into a recess on said tool;

and a pin for selectively positively engaging said stud in said recess to permit selective removal of said die element from said tool, but prevent inadvertent removal of said `die element from said tool.

3. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said die shifting element is pivotally mounted on said frame for pivotally connecting the shiftably mounted die element at a given point intermediate its length.

4. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch means engages the die shifting element at a point substantially spaced laterally relative to the pivot point for latching the shiftably mounted die element in an aligned position on the tool.

5. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said die shifting element is comprised of a plate pivotally engaging the tool, and means connecting the said shiftably mounted die to the plate, to thereby pivotally connect the shiftably mounted element to the tool.

6. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plate pivotally engages the tool at a point aligned with the die passageway.

7. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, said die holding frame being C-shaped and thus defining the motion axis between the ends of the C, and means engaging the first die element for causing it to undergo axial movement relative to the second die element.

S. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, said dies being formed with complementary face portions for cooperative crimping action.

9. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, an extended finger piece secured to and extended beyond said die shifting element to facilitate movement thereof.

10. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 9, said finger piece being so secured to and extending laterally of the die shifting element for enhanced leverage action.

11. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, said latch means comprising a member on the tool offset from said die passageway and spring means urging said member into latching engagement with said die shifting element.

12. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, said die shifting element being provided with a recess, and said latch means engaging said recess to latch the die shifting element and thereby said shiftably mounted die element against movement out of alignment with the other die element.

13. In a crimping tool as set forth in claim 1, said tool being provided with shouldered portions for slidably receiving said dies for parallel aligned registration therewith.

14. In a crimping tool as set forth in in claim 1, said die passageway being defined by spaced side walls for intermediate registration of the dies therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,019 10/1956 Evans 72-455 2,772,215 12/1956 Neijstrom 72-473 2,903,929 9/'1959 McVey 72-416 X HARRISON L. HINSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CRIMPING TOOL OF THE TYPE IN WHICH A FIRST DIE ELEMENT IS ADAPTED FOR MOTION ALONG AN AXIS TOWARD A SECOND DIE ELEMENT TO CRIMP A FITTING BETWEEN THE DIE FACES OF THE DIE ELEMENTS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A DIE HOLDING FRAME PROVIDED WITH AN ELONGATED DIE PASSAGEWAY; A DIE SHIFTING ELEMENT FOR SHIFTABLY MOUNTING ONE OF SAID DIE ELEMENTS ON SAID FRAME SO THAT IN A FIRST POSITION THE FACE OF THE SHIFTABLY MOUNTED DIE ELEMENT IS ALIGNED IN SAID DIE PASSAGEWAY OPPOSITE THE FACE OF THE OTHER DIE ELEMENT WITHOUT RELATIVE ROTATION OF THE SHIFTABLY MOUNTED DIE ELEMENT ABOUT SAID MOTION AXIS AS SAID FIRST DIE ELEMENT IS MOVED TOWARD SAID SECOND DIE ELEMENT; AND IN A SECOND POSITION THE SHIFTABLY MOUNTED DIE ELEMENT IS MOVED OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER DIE ELEMENT TO FACILIATE REMOVAL, OF A FITTING FROM BETWEEN SAID DIE ELEMENTS; AND MEANS FOR LATCHING SAID DIE SHIFTING ELEMENT IN THE SECOND POSITION WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIE ELEMENTS ARE RETAINED IN A PREDETERMINED ALIGNMENT DURING THE CRIMPING OPERATION, BUT ONE OF THE DIE ELEMENTS IS ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY SHIFTED OUT OF THE PREDETERMINED ALIGNMENT FOR CONVENIENT INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF A FITTING TO BE CRIMPED. 